


i'll take care of you

by irishseeker



Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Genre: Bridgerton, Canon, Drunkness, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Pregnancy, Romance, anthony bridgerton deserves everything, anthony learning to let people take care of him, as does kate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 04:02:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30100014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irishseeker/pseuds/irishseeker
Summary: Five times Kate takes care of a reluctant Anthony & one time he lets her.
Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sharma, Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield
Comments: 9
Kudos: 137





	i'll take care of you

**Author's Note:**

> just a warning: this is midly sexual and a trigger warning of death!

**one. ******

****

It was strange for Kate to wake up before Anthony. Anthony was usually awake a good half hour before Kate was every morning, usually dressed before she opened her eyes. He always waited for her to eat breakfast, but this morning he was oddly quiet.

“Good morning,” She whispered, rolling over in his arms, her nose brushing his. She leaned in to kiss him after she heard him make a small noise, her eyes still half closed. They could have a bit of fun before they really had to get up for the day.

He sneezed in her face.

Kate screamed, jumping slightly back from her husband as she wiped her face with their bedsheet. That certainly was a mood killer.

“I’m sorry Kate,” Anthony murmured, groaning slightly as he attempted to sit up.

Kate turned to look at her husband properly and her mouth opened slightly as she properly took him in. He did not look like Anthony at all. “Oh Anthony,” said Kate, putting her weight on her two arms on either side of him as she sat carefully on top of him to inspect him closer. “You look terrible.”

“Charming, my dear wife,” replied Anthony, not looking impressed at her comment whatsoever. It was true, though. He had little colour in his face, dark bags were under his eyes and his nose looked painfully red. He was sniffling with every breath.

“You have a fever,” Kate lay her hand on his forehead, which was scorching under her palm. “Your nose is red, and you look pale. You are ill, and you need to rest.”

“I do not have time to rest," Anthony insisted, shaking his head in protest. His schedule was full for the day, with endless tasks to do and people to visit. "I am fine, Kate.”

“May I remind you it is a sin to lie, dear husband?” Kate raised an eyebrow at him. “Especially to one’s wife, who can see right through her husband’s rather pathetic attempts at lying.”

He scoffed, and it turned into a slight whimper as strikes of pain ran through his throat. His head felt rather heavy.

“I am fine,” He said rather sharply, his jaw clenched as he attempted to stand up.

“You are the most stubborn man in London!” Kate exclaimed, her hands on her hips as she pushed him back down. “Get in the bed, now.”

Anthony glared at her, and although he would never admit it, he would not defy his wife when she was cross with him. “I’m not a child, Kate,” He said, mimicking her stern tone.

“I vowed to be by your side in sickness and in health. It is a wife’s duty to take care of her husband,” Kate reminded him, laying a cool tea cloth on his burning forehead. “I’m calling for the doctor.”

Anthony continued to object. “Kate, there is no need-”

“Anthony,” Kate said sternly, but her expression was the opposite to her tone-she looked concerned, and her soft hand cupped his cheek. “Please. For me?”

“Fine,” He grumbled, feeling his eyes close as Kate slipped her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “But I am not sick.”

He then proceeded to sneeze and nearly cough a lung up. Kate just stared at him with her eyebrow raised slightly. “Of course you are not.”

Anthony’s cough and cold had lasted about a week and he was not the ideal patient. The doctor was not impressed with his reluctance to be examined and smart remarks. Anthony continuously moaned and complained, protested when Kate forced him to take the medicine the doctor had prescribed.

She threatened to play the flute for him while he was confined to his bed if he did not take the medicine and it was quite the convincing tactic, he never objected to his medicine again. Well, he moaned, but he still took it.

She didn’t leave his side all week, cancelling any of her planned activities or meetings with friends.

“I had cook prepare your favourite,” said Kate, placing the tray carefully on her side of the bed as she sat beside him, the bowl of vegetable soup in her hand. “Open up.”

Anthony grumbled. “Kate, I am not a child.”

“Open,” She interrupted him, holding the spoon in front of his mouth. “You need to eat. I can sit here all day until this bowl is empty.”

He reluctantly opened his mouth and she fed him the rest of the soup. She even pretended to feed him and pulled back the spoon at the last second, as if she was playing a game with a child, which he did not find funny whatsoever. Kate, however, cried tears of laughter.

Anthony had never been a great sleeper and it had always made Kate worry. He was usually awake when she woke up and sometimes looked like he had not slept at all some nights. She knew he had been like this for a very long time, anxiety keeping him awake and it had improved somewhat since they married but it was not a problem fixed overnight.

However, he had slept most of the week, confined to bed, and it hurt her how unwell and exhausted he must be for him to sleep so easily. However, she loved to watch him sleep. She was quite content to watch him for hours, her fingers slowly rubbing his back or combing through his hair to relax him.

“Are you staring at me?” He murmured, his voice startling her slightly as she looked down at his face, which was peering up at her as he rested on her chest.

“Of course,” She replied, twirling one of his chestnut locks around her finger. “I could stare at you forever.”

He met her halfway for a kiss, smiling softly against her lips as he pushed himself up slightly and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. “I am incredibly handsome.”

She snorted, pulling the sheet over them. “Do you feel better?” She asked, tilting her head up slightly to look at him. She loved lying like this, practically on top of him.

“Very much so,” He murmured, leaning down to kiss her again, twisting her in his arms so she was now straddling him. “So much so, I am feeling very energetic.”

“Oh?” She pushed her hips down towards his, and she felt giddy that she could feel how excited he was. It had been a long week. “Do you have any ideas of what we could do?”

“Oh Mrs. Bridgerton,” He replied, gleeful and grinning, certainly feeling his usual himself again as he unbuttoned her dress. “I have an idea or two.”

His idea did not involve talking, the first, second or the third time, but it did involve a lot of fun.

**two.**

Kate was half-asleep in bed. Her evening had been oddly quiet, as Anthony had gone to the club with his brothers for the night. He had been reluctant to go but Kate had insisted he should, his time at the club with his brothers had been very limited over the last few months. She proposed he could spend the evening listening to her practice the flute instead and he quickly went on his way, winking at her as she scowled. She heard a crash and some loud footsteps and she presumed Anthony was home.

She sat up in bed, frowning slightly as she listened to further unusual noises approaching their bedroom. The candles were still lit as Kate had not wanted Anthony to arrive back in darkness.

The man in question opened their door. Kate took one look at him, an amused smile breaking out on her face. She had not seen Anthony drunk many times but each time was as glorious as the next. “You’re drunk, Lord Bridgerton.” Anthony stumbled further into the room, grinning boyishly at her as he attempted to take off his cravat.

“You are the most beautiful woman in the world Kate,” He said, his voice slurring slightly but still giddy. “I know that for a fact as I can see two of you.”

Kate laughed, a girlish laugh that made everything inside him light up. “Come here,” She climbed out of bed, guiding his stumbling figure to the edge of the bed where he lay back with a plop, laughing. She did not get to see this side of him often, this gleeful, boyish side of him. “Let us get these off, shall we?” Kate said, kneeling down to pull her husband's black boots off his feet, struggling slightly until they popped off and she nearly fell back.

“Are you trying to seduce me, dear wife?” Anthony’s voice slightly slurred as he spoke, and the smirk on his face was cheeky and made Kate blush. He never failed to make Kate blush.

“Am I not always, my lord?” She pulled him up, which was a slight struggle as he was heavy, but he made it easier when he sat up. She pulled off his crumbled cravat, and began to unbutton his shirt. “I like it when you call me my lord,” He mumbled, pushing his chin up as he looked at her. “It does something to me.”

“You always used to insist I call you Anthony, once we were sort of acquaintances,” She reminded him, pushing his shirt off his shoulders.

“That’s because the people I love call me Anthony and I was a fool in love, I just did not know it yet,” He leaned forward to kiss her and she giggled against his lips, tasting the bourbon and she slowly pulled away. “I do not oppose an occasional my lord every once in a while.” “Well, my lord,” She pushed at his chest slightly, prompting him to move back towards the headboard and lie down. “I shall keep that in mind.” “Mmm,” He murmured, his eyelids already closing as he fell into a deep sleep. Kate fixed his pillows just as he liked them, pulling the sheets up to the top of his chest.

“I love you,” She whispered, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she began to hear light snores, and she rolled her eyes as she got off the bed. She poured him a glass of water, leaving it on his side of the bed. He would need it in the morning.

The following afternoon, Anthony Bridgerton was in pain. When he was fully awake, all he could do was groan.

“Good morning,” Kate practically sung at her husband, who groaned in response. She had been awake for hours, as it was nearly the afternoon, but she had spent the morning reading her book waiting for her husband to wake up. She would not miss this moment.

“Please shut the curtains,” He managed to grunt. “And leave me to wither away.”

“So dramatic,” Kate said, rolling her eyes as she looked up from her book to smile at him. "How are you feeling?

“Like death. What time is it?” Anthony murmured, lifting his head off his pillow and feeling the world shift slightly. He felt ill. Extremely ill.

Kate took a moment before she replied. “It’s the afternoon.”

“Oh fuck,” Anthony tried not to swear in front of his wife, it was highly improper, but he really was fucked. He had appointments all morning and afternoon that he already missed and would be late for.

“I have cancelled all your appointments, all easily rescheduled,” Kate spoke over him so he would not interrupt. “What you need to do is to relax and eat something when you think you are up for it. Do not argue with me, Anthony.” He was prepared to argue with his wife, but he did not have the energy and his pounding head could not muster the effort.

“Was I a nuisance?” He asked instead, opening his arms towards Kate, who abandoned her book quite quickly to fall into them.

“You are never a nuisance,” Kate replied, pressing a kiss under his chin. “You were highly amusing.”

“I was?”

“You were. You were extremely logical,” He could hear the teasing edge in her tone. “You mentioned how I am smarter than you. How I am the greatest wife. How you should always listen to me-”

Anthony snorted. “I must have been drunker than I thought.”

She whacked him with a pillow, and he gasped before tackling her on their bed, until she stopped fighting. “I love you,” He said into her hair, after they had called a ceasefire, before pulling back to kiss her softly.

“I love you too,” She murmured against his lips, “But you smell like a brewery darling. I rang for the maids to run you a bath, it will make you feel much better. Come on.”

“Lie against me,” She instructed him as they both climbed into the bath. She picked up the cloth and slowly rubbed it over his skin. The bubbles fizzed against his chest before dissolving in the water, wiping any dirt away. He lay against her chest, defeated as his dehydrated muscles ached in the warm better.

“I am not the young man I once was,” He grumbled, sighing with content as Kate’s fingers lightly massaged his hair, the strands twisting around her fingers. “I will never drink again.” Kate snorted loudly against his back which made him reach back to tickle her until she squealed.

“Did you have fun?” Anthony nodded, smiling to himself as he thought back to the night before with his brothers and Simon. It was an incredible night, one of the fondest he had had in ages. He had not laughed or drank that much in a while. “I did.” “Good,” Kate replied, playing with his fingers and threading them through her own.

“I love when you have fun. You need to have more of it. You deserve it.”

He turned his head around so their faces were a few inches apart, and he rested his forehead against hers. “Have I told you how much I love you?”

“I shall never tire of hearing it,” She whispered against his lips, dropping the cloth as he moved backwards in the bath and pulled her onto his lap.

“I love you,” His hands squeezed her bum, which made her hips move against his. “I love you,” He whispered against her earlobe, his teeth nibbling it.

“I love you,” His lips trailed kisses down towards her breasts, taking them in his hands and slowly massaging them, before he replaced his hands with his tongue.

“I love you so much,” She murmured back, her voice wavering slightly as his teeth caught her nipple. “But I must insist we move to the bed, now.”

Without another word, he carefully stood up and took her hands, delicately stepping out of the bath. He picked her up and deposited her on the bed, both of them laughing, and there wasn’t another word spoken for a while.

“Feeling better?” She teased as they lay on the bed panting a while later, their chests rising and falling as they caught their breath.

“Much better,” He murmured against her neck, pressing a soft kiss under her ear as his hand traced patterns on her stomach. “You are the perfect antidote, Mrs. Bridgerton.”

**three.**

“Are you coming to bed?” He smiled softly as he looked at his wife in the doorway to his office, dressed in her nightgown. It was tighter than usual, her bump had grown significantly in the last six months. Kate complained regularly that she was massive, but Anthony absolutely adored it. He adored her.

She stepped inside and close the door behind her, and he could sense an argument coming. “Let me help.”

He was right.

“Kate, you need your rest,” He replied, shaking his head. “You are carrying our child-“

She crossed her arms across her chest, which now rested on her bump, as she strode towards him. “Anthony-”

“No. It is not a wife’s job to do her husband’s duties-”

“Oh, do you ever stop talking?” Kate hushed him, walking towards him and dragging one of the chair’s in front of his desk to beside him. “You have been cooped up in here all week working extremely hard. You have hardly slept. Besides, I struggle to sleep without you and I keep getting kicked awake by your child.”

He could not help but smile at her, feeling the stress fade away slightly at her mere presence as he leaned toward her in amusement. “My child?”

“It’s your child when it is keeping me awake and treating me as if I am a ball to be kicked,” She grumbled, blinking up at him before moving onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. His hands instinctively wrapped around her, one hand cradling her bump.

“Please let me help?” She murmured, her fingertip traced the edge of his jaw as she brought her lips softly to his. “Please?”

“Kate,” He murmured, feeling his willpower fade as her lips moved towards his neck. “Please?” She whispered, feeling daring enough to leave a small red mark on his neck that would show in the morning.

“Fine,” He succumbed, rolling his eyes in irritation as the minx climbed off his lap and sat on her chair, looking very satisfied with herself. “Take this list of names of tenants, and those balances, and write beside them if they have been paid or are outstanding,” He explained, pointing towards the list of tenants and the relevant documentation. It was one of the simpler tasks that took a tedious amount of time, and one she would be able to do.

“Make sure it’s legible,” Anthony reminded her, smirking at her slightly. Her penmanship was something to be desired.

“I am going to pretend I did not hear that,” She looked at him from the corner of her eye, her mouth flat, but it quickly turned into a smile that matched his. He opened his mouth to retort and she put her hand up, a serious expression on her face.

“Please do not disturb me. I am trying to work.” God, he loved this woman.

They worked in a comfortable silence for a few hours, both of them scribbling away through the mountains of paper and his ledgers. Eventually, once it struck midnight, Anthony insisted they finish for the night. He felt a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, a considerable amount of work had been completed. He carried her upstairs, which Kate insisted was ridiculous but laughed the entire way until he lay her on the bed once they reached their bedchamber. Once they were in bed, Kate lay against his chest as his arms wrapped around her, resting on her bump.

“Kate?”

“Mm?” Kate responded, her eyes half closed as she began to doze off into a comfortable sleep.

“Thank you.”

She wiggled slightly until she faced him, her protruding stomach was beginning to make simple movements quite difficult. She turned her head to look at him, sleep forgotten as her fingers reaching to brush his hair out of his eyes. “Of course. It is a wife’s duty to take care of her husband. Even if one’s husband is too stubborn to ask for help occasionally.”

“And I believe it is a husband’s duty to take care of his wife?” He murmured, his lips making their way down her jawline.

“I believe so,” She whispered, closing her eyes as his hands began to push up her nightdress. “A happy wife is a happy life.”

“I could not agree more, Mrs. Bridgerton,” He replied, before he stopped talking and focused on the more important task at hand between her legs.

**four.**

“What is wrong?” Kate stared at her husband as he undressed for the night on his side of the bed. He had been unusually quiet all evening since he had returned home from his mother’s house. 

Anthony did not meet Kate’s eyes as he spoke, which was his giveaway. He could never look her in the eyes when he was upset or something was amiss. “Why would something be wrong?” 

Kate frowned at her husband, moving towards him to take his hand in hers. “We have been married how long? I know every single look and expression on your face. Talk to me.”

“Mother and I had an argument about Hyacinth’s debut to society,” He said, breaking his facade quite quickly as he let out a deep sigh. “Hyacinth got involved and it was not pleasant.”

Kate did not interrupt as he continued to speak, she just squeezed his hand.

“I think she should wait another year before she enters society, she does not. I proposed eighteen was an appropriate age to enter society, they both disagreed. Mother said I was acting foolish and it escalated from there, ending with Hyacinth declaring she despised me.” Kate bit her lip, shaking her head as she took his hand in hers. “She did not mean that. She was cross and she did not think about what she was saying. She adores you.” “I know,” He murmured, the words still echoing in his head and stinging. “I do not understand the rush. She is still a child.”

“I know darling,” She whispered softly, pushing herself up against the headboard so she could wrap her arms around his head and lay it against her chest. “I think she will always be a child in your eyes. But she has grown up now and she is ready.”

“I’m not,” His fingers played with Kates, his voice slightly hoarse as he stared at nothing.

It broke Kate’s heart, truthfully. Kate felt quite helpless, until an idea popped into her head. “I know what will make you feel better.”

Mary, their youngest of barely two months, slept in a crib at the end of their bed. She had been a surprise, a major surprise, since it had been seven years since Charlotte had been born. Kate knew there was a reason she had become pregnant again and she knew it was something to do with the loss of her own mother, Mary, just over a year ago. No one could ever replace Mary, Kate’s Mary, but a new baby had helped fill that gaping loss in Kate’s life when she had to say goodbye to her mother. When Anthony had whispered Mary into Kate’s ear, minutes after baby Mary was born, Kate had sobbed for a while. She may not know her grandmother but Kate would make sure she knew all about her, and so would Anthony, and that was all that mattered.

They had a nurse, but Anthony had been insistent that all four of their children slept in their room at night while they were infants. Particularly Mary, who had been born early and small. The birth had not been pleasant, and it would definitely be their last. Anthony had only relaxed in the last month or so, not spending most of the night checking Mary was breathing every ten minutes. Kate crawled to the end of the bed and reached into the crib, carefully picking up their sleeping baby. She had barely any hair, but the wisps were a chestnut colour just like Anthony. She had Kate’s nose and Anthony’s smile, which she had begun to show them only last week when Anthony had tickled her while they were laying outside on a blanket with the children on a sunny day.

When Kate looked at her baby, her gorgeous little baby, all she saw was her own mother, Mary. It didn’t make sense, but it just did and was such a comfort to Kate.

It was a risk to wake a sleeping baby, as it could turn into a screaming baby, but Mary seemed to sleep through anything. If it made Anthony feel better, it was worth the risk.

Mary was a very relaxed baby, rarely fussy or upset. She was an angel compared to their previous three, particularly Charlotte, who had kept the whole of Bridgerton house awake for a year.

“There we go,” Kate said softly, carefully laying Mary on his chest. “The perfect remedy.”

Anthony immediately shifted slightly, wrapping his arms carefully around Mary and ensuring she was comfortable on his chest. Mary had refused to sleep anywhere but against her mother or her father’s chest the first month of her life and it was a habit they had only managed to break recently. He leaned down carefully, inhaling that sweet baby smell, probably the purest smell in the world and pressed a kiss against her forehead.

“Charlotte will probably be in here later tonight, begging to come in,” Kate murmured, referring to their youngest’s antics of sneaking past her nurse and conning her way into her parents bed. They had little willpower to refuse her. “I wonder what the reason will be tonight, a monster or a ghost?”

Anthony chuckled, shifting his arms around his youngest and resting his cheek against her small head. “She has quite the flair for the dramatics.” “I wonder where she got that from?” Kate teased, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she ran her fingers through his hair. “I do hope you are not insinuating I am dramatic, Kate. I am a perfectly rational man,” He said, turning to smirk at her, a little light sparkling in his eyes. She could see he was feeling a bit better. “It is simply everyone else who is irrational.”

“Most definitely,” Kate said, mockingly nodding in agreement as they grinned at each other. “It is a good thing I find delusion quite charming.”

Anthony, the Viscount of Bridgerton, stuck his tongue out at her.

“I do wish they would stop growing,” Anthony murmured, his fingertips lightly moving up and down Mary’s back. It was one of Kate’s favourite things, watching Anthony with their children. He was so loving, so caring and he adored them with every part of him. He made it so easy to fall in love with him everyday. “Me too,” She murmured in agreement, watching her daughter’s back rise up and down softly as she slept. “Maybe Mary will grace us with our wish. She could stay this small and adorable forever.”

“Possibly,” replied Anthony, his voice nearly a whisper as he carefully shifted himself upwards, Mary curled against his chest. “I have an alternative proposal.”

“Enlighten me,” Kate said, raising an eyebrow at her husband as she carefully held Mary’s small hand between her thumb and index finger.

“They simply shall never get married and we shall stay in Bridgerton house together forever,” Anthony tilted his head slightly, giving Kate a stern look as she was already laughing at him. “I cannot fathom anyone worthy of our children.”

“I presume that is how most people feel about their children and ours are especially wonderful,” She replied, not wanting to tease him too much as Anthony was feeling fragile. “It is a lovely thought and as much as I wish we could keep them this small and ours forever, life must go on. There is no point worrying about the future, we must enjoy the present.”

“I shall need to be sedated for Charlotte’s debut,” Anthony murmured, knowing his wife was right. Of course she was right, Kate was always right. It was quite the nuisance. He did not know what he had done to deserve to have a family as perfect as his, but he needed to enjoy it and let his family enjoy it. Including his sister who was a few miles away quite furious with him.

“We shall all need a drink during Charlotte’s debut,” Kate said, laughing softly at her husband as she kissed the worried lines on his forehead. It was considered improper for women to drink but they would all let that rule slide. “I love her to death, but that child is something else. Quite like her aunt, don’t you think?”

Kate didn’t wait for Anthony’s response. “Hyacinth is a force to be reckoned with. The men of society will not know what is coming,” Kate was trying to make light of the situation to make him feel better, but she knew how difficult it was for him. “She will be controlling them all in a matter of hours. I know it is hard for you, but I promise it will be alright. We still have a long time to go with these four.”

“I know you are right,” He murmured, gulping slightly as he seemed to hold Mary tighter. “It is a frightening thought, her not needing me anymore. Ever since father’s death, they have all needed me. However, in recent times, she was the only one I had left. She is Hyacinth. I cannot explain it, but she has always been different. She has always needed me since she was born and now it feels like she is gone.”

“Darling,” She said softly, putting her finger under his chin to tilt it towards her. “Do we not have a Bridgerton here everyday to see you? To see us? There will not be a day that goes by that does not involve one of your siblings, or me, or the children needing you. Everyone needs you darling, you are the heart of this very family,” She leaned forward to brush her lips against his.

“What also is important is what you need. That is everyone’s priority as well. It is my number one priority. If you need time to process this and feel sad, that is perfectly okay. Also, everyone does not always need something from you Anthony. They just want you,” Her thumb was making small circles against his cheek as she leaned forward, inches between their lips. “We all adore you. You need to be cared for too and to let people take care of you.”

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” Anthony said against her lips, kissing her as passionately as he could with a baby asleep on his chest.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” She replied as they broke apart, and she pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before resting her nose against his. “We belong together, Lord Bridgerton.”

He smiled at her as she snuggled into his side, her hand covering his on their daughter’s back as they watched their youngest sleep. Whatever would come, he would always have Kate beside him. “Forever and Always.”

**five.**

The thick stubble had grown on Anthony’s cheek over the past two weeks since he had injured his hand while fencing. An accident had led to a deep cut across the palm of his hand. It was a painful and inconvenient injury and Anthony Bridgerton did not like to be inconvenienced. As for the stubble, Kate found it quite attractive but Anthony, who preferred a clean shave, had begun to find it rather itchy and irritating.

“Kate?” She heard Anthony’s voice call from the bathroom.

“Mm?” Kate was lying on their bed, distracted by the latest Jane Austen novel. It was the talk of London society at the moment and Kate couldn’t put it down. She was ready before her husband for a change for Daphne and Simon’s ball tonight, a rare occasion but always an entertaining one. The children were already in bed so Kate could enjoy her book as Anthony shaved before they departed.

“Would you shave me?”

That was enough to make Kate put her book down. She was not sure if she had heard correctly. Anthony rarely asked directly for help, Kate normally intervened or just knew what to do when it came to her husband, but this time he was willingly asking for it.

“I’ll be right there, sweetheart.” Kate had begged Anthony to let her shave him on a few occasions, out of curiosity and amusement, but he had never given in. She had married the most wonderful man in the world but definitely the most stubborn. A man who would view asking someone for help, including his wife, as the last resort. Anthony was a problem solver, including his own.

She called for a bowl of hot water, soap and some towels and one of the maids brought the supplies within a few minutes.

She walked into their bathroom to find a disgruntled Anthony sitting on the edge of the bath, the razor blade and a towel lying abandoned in the sink. Kate put her finger in the bowl of water he had summoned a while ago, and it was cold. He must have been failing at shaving for a while and she had been too busy with her book to notice.

“Come sit on the bed,” She extended her hand toward his uninjured one, pressing a kiss to it before he threaded his fingers through her own. She could not resist the smile on her face as he obediently sat on the edge of their bed. She put the towel around his neckline to avoid getting his shirt wet, and lightly brushed the water and soap onto his face.

“Do you know what you are doing?” asked Anthony, looking amused as he placed his hands on the back of her thighs. She was standing in between his legs, probably not the smartest idea considering it usually led to certain activities and would distract them from the task at hand.

“Of course. Stay very still,” She said slowly, taking his chin in her hand as she pushed his head slightly so his left cheek was facing her. She wet his cheek again with soap and water, then slowly dragged the blade down his cheek.

“It is amusing to me how much you are enjoying this,” He murmured, a small smirk playing on his lips as she tapped the blade against the edge of the bowl. She felt his fingers lightly tap against the back of her thigh and she gulped.

“Anthony,” She said sternly, removing her hand from his face to lightly tap his wandering hands on her thighs. “Stop distracting me.”

Anthony lightly chuckled, but she could see that look in her eye. She knew that look and she loved that look. It had led to four children and a lot of fun. “You do have a blade against my cheek, dearest. My life is more at risk than yours.”

Kate, the Viscountess of Bridgerton, stuck her tongue out at him.

She removed the blade from his cheek to clean it in the water and as she turned around, he kissed her. She giggled and protested against his lips but as his tongue slipped into her mouth, she lost any control she had. Her face was now covered in soap and was partially wet.

“Anthony,” She whined as they eventually broke apart, but her tone had nothing but adoration in it as she pretended to scowl at him. “I was ready for the ball.”

“You will always be the most beautiful woman in any room,” He replied, smiling innocently at her as he reached up and wiped the remnants of soap off her face. “You ask too much of me if I am meant to sit here and not kiss you. I am only a man, Kate.”

She kissed him again briefly, just because. “You are too smart for your own good. Now, I am nearly done. Hush and let me finish.” She chose to straddle him this time, both her knees on either side of him. What was she to do, not torture her husband when she had the perfect opportunity? His hands were back on her thighs as she straddled him, concentrating carefully on the task at hand. She could count the faint freckles splattered across his nose and cheeks, the ones she had counted a million times and she loved how they darkened in the summer.

“There we go,” She said softly after a few minutes, wiping his clear cheeks with a cloth. There was not a cut or blood in sight. “Perfect.”

He carefully took the blade out of her hand, putting it down on the chair at the foot of the bed before flipping her around so she was underneath him. He leaned towards her, stopping when there was a few inches between them before he spoke. “Thank you.”

“Of course. I love taking care of you,” She replied, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him towards her, their lips brushing a few times. “Are you not going to inspect my work?”

“There is no need,” He murmured against her lips, his hands working on the buttons of her dress and there was nothing in Kate that could make her stop him, even if they would be late to Daphne’s ball. “I trust you.”

Kate had been his wife for many years, she knew this man inside out, including his demons. Moments like this were precious when Anthony willingly let her help him and take care of him, as he always felt like he was the person who should be doing that. Her incredible husband rarely thought of himself and it broke her heart that he did not think a lot of himself at all. She vowed she would spend every day reminding him how incredible he was.

“You are so very handsome,” She murmured, placing her hands carefully on his cheeks as they both gazed at each other. His words made her flutter inside, her stomach feeling warm and ticklish, a feeling Anthony was the sole cause of, no matter how many years later. “An absolutely wonderful man. I do not think I tell you how much I love you enough. I absolutely adore you.”

“You only do it several times a day,” He teased her, pressing a soft kiss against her lips. “You do tell me enough, although I will never tire of hearing it. I love you so much. I do not think words do my love for you justice, but I love you.”

“You know,” Her lips began to trail kisses across his jaw, as her hands moved down towards his breeches. “I think Daphne will forgive us if we are slightly late.”

Anthony pulled back to grin at her, a delighted expression on his face. “She will forgive us for being half an hour late. It could be considered fashionable.”

Kate smirked back at him, feeling him pulling down her dress. “I was thinking an hour.”

“Oh Mrs. Bridgerton,” Anthony pulled Kate’s dress off completely and she squealed, losing her ability to speak as his lips began to trail their way down her stomach. “I could not agree more.”

**Author's Note:**

> a/n: thank you so much for reading! I have a day off today and I should be studying but I just couldn't resist posting this. Happy St. Patrick's day! I adore these two and anthony bridgerton is the loml, he is an amazing misunderstood character who deserves EVERYTHING and kate is also everything. This is very fluffy and please forgive me if there's any timeline clashes with the books! Anything you recognize does not belong to me! thank you so much for your support on my other two fics, which will be updated and I am working on more, it means the world! thanks again for reading and if you feel like it, please leave a kudos or comment, it is so so appreciated it!
> 
> check me out on tumblr if you'd like: irishseeker


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